Houston Newsmakers for Dec. 25: New HPD Chief, Bittersweet Harvest and veterans discount

HOUSTON – New Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says being named the first Hispanic Chief of Police is important but not a priority.

"I don't want to be just the Chief for the Latino community or the Black community or the rich or poor," he said. "I need to be the chief for everybody including liberal, progressive, conservative. You are the chief for everybody. My job is to keep people safe and build trust."

Acevedo tells Khambrel Marshall transparency and mutual respect is also very important as his department creates relationships with the community. Much more from Chief Acevedo on this week's Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall.

Also

It was called the Bracero Program and for 22 years recruited millions of Mexicans to come to the United States to perform cheap labor. Now Holocaust Museum Houston has the exhibit Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program.

Kelly Zuniga, the CEO of Holocaust Museum Houston says it is important to tell this story because until now it has not been told and is not taught in schools.

"Just treasuring the humanity themselves and the fact that they were here to help the United States and had a terrific impact economically on the United States," she said. "But also respecting their culture and them as individuals."

The exhibit runs until May. Find out why it is important on this week's Houston Newsmakers.

And

Operation Veteran Advancement is a program at the University of Houston that is offering 50 percent off for veterans seeking to take certain classes.

Mercedes Clarke is the Executive Director of Continuing Studies at UH and gave examples of some of the classes offered.

"We do have some other programs like our paralegal certificate program and then of course if they are considering going into a Master's degree program we can help them get ready to take their GRE, the GMAT exams too," she said. "Those courses are also for 50 percent." 

Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall, every Sunday at 10 a.m. right after Meet the Press on KPRC Channel 2.

More Information:

  • Chief Art Acevedo, Houston Police Department, 713-884-3131 http://www.hmh.orgwww.houstonpolice.org
  • Kelly Zuniga, Ed.D., CEO Holocaust Museum Houston, 713-942-8000,  www.hmh.org
  • Michelle Tovar, Associate Director, Education, Spanish Outreach and Latin American Initiatives, Holocaust Museum Houston, 713-942-8000, www.hmh.org
  • Steve Velasquez, Associate Curator, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution,  202-633-1000,  http://americanhistory.si.edu/profile/527               
  • Mercedes Clarke, Executive Director, University of Houston Continuing Studies, 713-743-1185 , www.continuingstudies.uh.edu OPERATION VETERAN ADVANCEMENT (832)8420-5490